True Blue
by mikey magee
Summary: Ted Kord only wanted a little lunch, he never meant to run over some teenager. Now, Ted is stuck with a kid with no memory, no family, and no earthly idea as to where he belongs. The only thing Ted is sure of is this kid (whoever he is) is a huge fan of the The Blue Beetle, and an even huger fan of Ted's. Who exactly is this young man? And why is he so drawn to Ted?
1. Chapter 1

This was not how Ted had expected his day to go. All he wanted to do was take a little break from work, maybe head down town to score a burger. Maybe make some laughs with Booster and then head back to running his company…that was kind of failing.

And now he gets to deal with this.

"How is he?" Ted asked the nurse. Ted Kord. The Ted Kord, Blue Beetle, member of the Justice League, president and CEO of one of the biggest companies in the world…was shaking. He never much cared for hospitals. The smell of sterilized steel, and spilled blood. Whenever he took too many blows to the head, he would be greeted by the smell of itchy linen and cold curtains. Hospital staples.

The nurse merely sighed and looked over her chart. "He's suffered head injury, but he'll live." She sucked her teeth and looked to the ceiling. Ted knew that look too well. She was pissed. "You need to be more careful. I mean look! This kid could have died." She pointed to beyond the glass door where their patient sat. A young man…no a teenager, with dark skin and hair that fell into his eyes. His head was wrapped in a cold cloth and his mind was far from where his body was.

He was asleep.

Ted didn't mean to get the kid hurt. One minute he was just driving to where he could get lunch, and the next he's slamming into some kid who came out of nowhere. He _literally_ came out of nowhere. In a flash of gold light, there he was. Who was he? Where did he come from? How…

"What's his name?" The nurse asked as she flipped through her clipboard. "We couldn't find any ID on him."

Ted only shrugged his shoulders.

"Can't you do some kind of DNA testing on him?" Ted asked, "Maybe call his parents or-"

"Who do you think we are? The Justice League?" She sucked her teeth again.

"C-can I go see him?"

The nurse shrugged her shoulders, and nodded.

Ted slowly stepped through the door and looked over his new…friend. Ted certainly had done a number on him. His face was scratched; his head looked like it had been through the garbage disposal and his arm looked to be bent. Ted leaned in closer, the kid's hands were wet (was he near water before the accident?), he looked to be…Latino. Maybe Puerto Rican, or Mexican? Was he a runaway? A few days ago Ted had read an article in the paper about teenagers who left home. Most of them were never seen again. Could this kid be some runaway too? And if he was then he wouldn't be too keen on telling Ted (or anyone else for that matter) where his parents were.

Great. Just great.

"Uh…kid?" Ted whispered. Could he even hear a word Ted was saying? If Ted was hit with a car that hard…and speaking of which…how did this kid even survive that accident? Getting into an accident like that and only leaving with these superficial injuries was…nothing short of a miracle. And Ted would know, he had seen his share of miracles working with the JLI…so who was this kid?

"Hmm…" he began to stir, his head moved to the side, his bandages fell down against his pillow. Wake up. Wake up. "W-what?"

Ted leaned over. "Hey kid…are you okay? Do you know where you are?"

Slowly, the teenager propped himself onto his elbow, and Ted gently placed his hand against the kid's chest. "Whoa, whoa, whoa there kid. Not so fast." Ted felt guilty enough having run the poor guy over, he didn't him to move any more than what he need to. "Just slow down. You were in a car accident okay? You're in a hospital and you're safe."

Where were the doctors exactly? Shouldn't they be the ones explaining all of this?

"Alright?" Ted flashed his brightest Blue Beetle smile and…the kid smiled back. Not just an "I'm okay crazy-person-I-don't-know smile, but a _smile_. The way that kid's face lit up, it was as if it were Christmas, his birthday, and Halloween all bundled together. Maybe this wouldn't be so bad.

"Y-you're…" the kid began, "I-I know you…from somewhere…" he closed his eyes and leaned his head back, his smile never fading from his lips. "You're-"

"I'm Ted Kord," he said. "But, I'm more interested in you. Can you tell me your name?" Maybe now he could get some answers. Run a background check, get this kid back to his parents (who were probably worried sick) and just get on with his day. Simple. Easy. Nothing to worry about.

"I-I- can't…it's…" he closed his eyes, "I'm sorry, but I can't remember."

Perfect. That blow to his head must have caused more damaged than Ted first assumed. Ted shook his head. Alright…he was a smart guy, he could figure this out. The hospital would simply hold the kid here until they could figure out what to do with him. And naturally Ted would fit the bill for the whole thing, he had already decided that himself

"Mr. Kord?" A man in a white lab coat stood behind him.

"So what's the story Doc?" Ted asked.

"Well, I've looked him over and—while there are scrapes—he seems fine. It's strange, but he's been healing exponentially fast…I don't really know how to explain it."

That was interesting.

"We'll keep him over night to make sure, but I think he can be discharged."

"Hold on a sec doc," Ted said as he glanced back over to the young patient, the kid looked as confused and scared as a hurt cat, the same look Booster gave him whenever he got turned down by a girl. Ted hated that look. "Kid doesn't even remember his name, you can't just release him out into the world…it's not safe."

This was a hospital right? Their job was to help people?

The doctor only shrugged. "Well, I'm sorry Mr. Kord, but that's the way things are. We've had so many people in need of medical assistance that we just don't have enough beds. Compared to some of the cases we've had today this guy's scrapes are minor."

Just great. So…now what?

"Mr. Kord, how about you fill out some paperwork and we'll get talk more about this later," the doctor glanced to the young man in the bed, "Maybe give our friend some time to rest."

That doctor didn't like the puppy looks this kid was giving out either, that much Ted was sure of. The two left through the door.

"Doc, we can't just throw the kid out on the street. He can't even remember where he came from." Ted felt his pulse rising, he may not have known this kid, but sure as hell wasn't going to let him wonder the street in his condition. "Look, money is no option. I'll pay anything."

"Mr. Kord, it's not a matter of money. It's just supply not meeting demand. I'm so sorry."

Ted's lunch hour was already over, he had to get back to work, and after that he needed to jet off to Metropolis for JLI business. Ted sighed. "Just give me the paperwork."

He'd go to work, and afterwards he'd send a car to bring his new guest to where he lived. It wasn't exactly a mansion, but it was at least big enough to accommodate a teenager. Whoever this guy was, he liked Ted…that was a start. Maybe one of his parents worked for KORD Inc? It was worth looking into…wasn't it?

Ted finished his paperwork, and slipped into his car.

"I could really use a burger."


	2. Chapter 2

He sat there…the only thing he could remember was the name of Ted Kord. He looked around the hospital, his jean jacket fell over his shoulders, and his pants were skinned at the knees. Nurses and doctors walked passed him, not even noticing. The last doctor he saw told him that he would be discharged soon.

"Don't worry though," he said, "Mr. Kord said you'd be well taken care of, just wait here for a little bit while the paperwork goes through."

That was two hours ago…at least that's what it felt like, it could have been shorter, he couldn't tell. Some people asked him questions as they walked passed.

"Are you alright?" they asked.

He would nod.

"Do you feel any pain anywhere?" they would ask.

He would shake his head.

"What's your name?"

And that was the question he did not have an answer for. That was the question that rolled around his brain like a ball of wax. He closed his eyes, reached back into the furthest part of his memory, but couldn't grap on to anything solid. It was like trying to grab at smoke, just when he believed he had something it vanished.

_You're going to pay for what you've done._

All he had were voices from a time he could not remember. And with each passing moment, he placed his hand on his back and clenched his shirt. All he felt was his own skin against his palm. He couldn't shake the feeling that something was missing.

Something important.

"Excuse me?"

He looked up to a man in a black jacket and red tie.

"Yes, Mr. Kord told me I had to pick up a teenager and," he looked around, "You seem to be the only one here. Is that you?"

He looked around and seeing as everyone else around him couldn't be any younger than fifty. So it must have been him.

"Uh…yeah. That's me."

The man smiled. "Wonderful, come with me. I've been told I'm supposed to take you to Mr. Kord's home." The man waved his hand and turned but then stopped short. "What's your name?"

He was beginning to hate that question.

"I…uh." He fiddled with his hands like a child and he closed his eyes. Small images stabbed his brain like dull pens.

Blazing flames. A punch to the gut. Black smoke rising everywhere…and then nothing. Nothing but that unfamiliar voice that made his head pound.

_Goodbye Blue…_

"Blue?" he asked.

"What was that?" the driver said, "You say your name's Blue?" he chuckled at the thought. "Hey that's pretty cool. Like the Blue Beetle right?" The driver placed his hand on the young man's shoulder and ushered him out of the hospital and towards a beat up old car. He opened the door, and Blue stepped inside.

"You know about the Blue Beetle?" Blue asked as they drove off. That named seemed…familiar, just like Ted Kord's. Blue Beetle, a moniker that he held onto like a rope. The Blue Beetle.

"Oh yeah, he's the premier hero here. He's kind of like Batman only…" the driver shrugged his shoulders, "he smiles. He got the key to the city once. Real big shindig."

Blue looked out the window and saw the city pass by; cars, children, professionals, businessmen, each person a testament to the Blue Beetle's work. One time or another, he had protected all of them. It was strange, but Blue felt the air around him turn heavy, as if his shoulders were held down by a force too heavy to move.

The Blue Beetle had protected them all…and what had he done that could compare?

"So, how do you know Mr. Kord? You a friend of his?" the driver asked.

Blue shook his head, "No, we actually just met today. But I'm a pretty big fan of his."

Why would he say that?

"Really?" the driver asked, "Didn't think a kid like you would be so into business, most kids your age are busy with your music and stuff." The car turned right at a light and slowed its speed. "It's a real shame about what's happening to KORD Inc. though. It's been going through some pretty tough days." The came up to a school zone and began to slow even further.

"Why," Blue asked, "Is the company going through such a rough time?"

"I hate to say it, but it's Kord. I love the guy to death and he's about as brilliant as that Bruce Wayne guy up in Gotham, but he's just never around when ya' need him. Some people are even talking about taking over the company."

Blue knew this story. He _knew_ this…but from where?

"Alright Blue, here we are." The driver stopped the car in front of a small villa that looked like it could be placed in a magazine. Blue stepped out of the car and marveled at its size. He had never seen a house so large…at least, he didn't think he had.

"Mr. Kord lives here?" he asked.

"Yup." The driver placed his hand on Blue's shoulder and slipped a metal key in between the young man's fingers. "Just go inside. Mr. Kord is at work, and he says he'll be in meetings all day, so you probably won't see much of him." The driver smiled, "When you see Mr. Kord tell him 'Thanks for using Loco Drivers', he's one of our best customers."

He smiled hopped back into his car, and drove away, leaving Blue in front of this house. All alone.

He took a deep breath and stepped forward, down past the gates, the sidewalk and up to the large front door that stood like a guard. Blue placed his hand on his back once more…there was something missing from him, why couldn't he shake the feeling that he was in danger? Blue jammed his key inside and opened the door.

The place was a mess. There were cartons and empty T.V. dinner trays littered everywhere. The rug had a stain embedded deep within it, and the room smelled of worn socks.

"I guess Mr. Kord isn't much of a cleaner." Blue shrugged, "He probably didn't have time doing…whatever it is he does."

There was no one here. No one to greet him, or show him any place to sit, he didn't feel right coming into someone's home, it felt like he was intruding.

"Hello?" Blue called out. His voice echoed down a hall that seemed to go on forever. It was just him.

All alone.


	3. Chapter 3

One of the perks of being a B-lister on the Justice League is that when you're not around most people don't really notice (well, the media doesn't notice…Batman certainly does). Lately Ted had been trying to get his company back on track, and dealing with some of his own rogues in Chicago. The JLI had to take a backseat for a few days.

Ted walked through the Hall of Justice, one of the many embassies located around the world for the JLI. It'd be nice to get back with his friends, see how Booster and the gang was doing. The hallway looked the same as it always did. A long row of carpet beneath his feet, and the smell of lemon zest in the air. Jo'hn must have been cleaning again.

"Hello?" Ted called. Just as he rounded the corner to the kitchen, his belt buckle began to blink. "Oh…right."

A few years ago Ted had installed a calling system on his belt, that way when there was downtime he'd be able to take any business call he needed to. He—and his secretary—were tired of the missed business opportunities.

"This is Kord. What can I do for you?"

"Mr. Kord?" the man on the other end asked, "This is Jeff from Loco Drivers. I just wanted to tell ya' that the valet has dropped off Mr. Blue at your place."

Ted blinked twice and looked around the empty kitchen. "Wait, Mr. Who-now?"

Did that drive pick up the wrong person? Ted's stomach dropped to the bottom of his shoes. What if that kid was still there back at the hospital? What if he was still waiting? Shit…what if that douche of a doctor just kicked him out of the building and left him roaming the street with no memory? Ted's insides began to bubble over like a pot that had too much to bear. What the hell? What if that kid was laying somewhere in a ditch all because that driver couldn't pick up the right-

"Mr. Kord?"

"W-what?" Ted was snapped from his mind instantly.

"I said Mr. Blue was dropped off at your home. The young man from the hospital? At least that's what the report my driver left says."

Ted took a deep breath. "Y-yeah. Right. Blue. Thank you."

He pressed a button on his belt and the call ended.

Shit.

"Hey Ted," Blue Beetle's spine began to bend at the sound of his old friend. A bright attitude that seemed to calm anyone's nerves, at least that's how Booster's charm normally worked. But that wasn't the case today.

"Look Boost, I can't talk right now. There's some stuf-"

"There's a meeting goin' on now, Batman's been trying to call you all day." Booster smiled as he placed his hand on Ted's shoulders. "Come on. Everyone's waiting."

Before Ted could even protest, Booster was already dragging him to the meeting hall where the others were already assembled. Guy Gardner, their resident Green Lantern stood on monitor duty. The Martian Manhunter sat at the head of the table, Fire and Ice sat next to each other and Batman stood in front, ready to begin the meeting.

"Beetle, there you are." Batman scowled as Ted took his seat.

"Uh look," Ted said, he really wasn't even paying attention, his mind too consumed with the young man he had met earlier. "I'm sorry I'm late, but-"

"We've detected disturbances in the Chicago area, but were unable to pinpoint the exact capacity, the signature was gone in seconds."

Ted leaned back into his chair.

"We were hoping," Manhunter said, "That perhaps you had witnessed something. After all Chicago is your home, is it not?"

"Have you seen anything strange?" Guy Gardner called from over by the monitor.

Strange how? Like an amnesiac teenager just happening to appear out of nowhere? Would that count as strange?

"I'll uh…keep an eye out." Ted left his chair and hurried out into the hallway, "I've really gotta make a call. Business stuff and all that."

He leaned against the wall once he was out of earshot of the others. There was simply no way he could concentrate on any of that…not while he was thinking about that kid. He pressed his utility belt and it began to call his home. If the kid was there then there'd be nothing to worry about.

It rang.

"Come on. Pick up."

And rang.

"Jesus, pick up."

And rang.

"Please be there."

And then…

"H-hello?" A small voice, barely above a whisper, answered. Ted knew that voice, scared and low. He breathed a sigh of relief.

"Kid? Is that you?" Ted asked.

"Mr. Kord? H-hello sir. I was dropped off here by that driver guy. I wasn-"

"Don't worry about that. You just make yourself comfortable, alright? There's food in fridge if you're hungry. Make yourself at home."

"Are you sure you won't mind? I could clean-"

"Kid, don't worry. Just relax." Ted took a deep breath and smiled. At the very least, he wouldn't have to worry too much now. "I'll be home later, just stay out of trouble until then."

He closed his eyes and hung up. Good. The kid was safe. Maybe now he could get a few answers, get him home to his worried parents. Blue—and Ted knew that wasn't his name—must have had some strict parents because there was no way a teenager his age would be that polite without guidance. Listening to Blue's voice now made things a little clearer. There was a thick accent behind his words, he was probably bilingual, and if you listened close enough you could hear a southern drawl. Florida? Texas? Ted couldn't quite place it.

"What was that about?"

Ted jerked his head to the side to his Booster Gold standing with his arms folded and his eyebrow cocked. "You got a girl at home?"

Ted just shook his head, "No…it's nothing. Just somethin' happened this morning and it's been a little crazy. But nothing I can't handle."

"Cool," Booster said as he stepped forward. "You wanna hang out tonight?"

"Can't bro, I've got KORD Inc. stuff to take care of back home."

Yeah…a lot of KORD Inc. stuff

"Need any help?" Booster asked.

Perhaps Booster could help. Hell, Booster was pretty good with kids, and his high profile might shake a few memories loose. But then again, having a superhero around might scare the kid even more and aggravate whatever trauma caused him to lose his memory. No, the best plan of action was to keep Blue calm, gain his trust and slowly get him home.

He could do that on his own right?

"No thanks Booster. I think I got this one."


	4. Chapter 4

"Alright," Ted said as he walked up into his house, "This shouldn't be too difficult."

What was there to be nervous about? Blue—and Ted really needed to find out this kid's name—seemed like a great kid. The main question was how he even got here? If he was from the south, then he and his family must have traveled a pretty long way.

_I could probably just do a quick search of some families that had moved to Chicago from the south…it's a long shot, but it's a start right?_

Without even thinking, Ted placed his key in his lock and slowly turned the knob.

"Hey, kid?" Ted called as he walked through the door. He gazed at the empty TV dinner cartons that littered his carpet. He felt his face turn red at the thought of his young guest wading through all this crap. He really needed to take better care of his place. The place was cold. Chicago was a strange city, for the past few days the weather had been nuts. First sweltering in the afternoons and freezing at night, and tonight was no exception.

Ted wrapped his arms around his body and tried to keep warm.

_Shit, can't wait to get to bed…but first I have to find-_

He stopped in the living room sofa and saw a small teenager curled on his couch like a cat. Blue's knees tucked into his chin and his arms wrapped around his legs…almost as if trying to keep warm. Blue was fast asleep. Shit, why didn't he get a blanket?

"He was probably too shy to…"

Ted rolled his eyes, he wanted to question Blue, maybe wean a little more info out of him…but now wasn't the time. Ted reached down and scooped his little guest into his arms. Blue didn't even stir, he only hung off Ted's arms like fresh laundry. The kid was light, almost to the point of being gaunt. Hell, Ted could probably bench press this kid without breaking a sweat.

"Your folks would kill me if I let you sleep like that," he whispered, "You'd get sick."

And a couch was no place to get a good night's rest.

Ted carried Blue down the hall, past the tilted picture frames and mismatched wall paper (Ted really needed a new decorator) and into the guest room. The place hadn't been used since Booster was there last week.

With one hand, Ted held Blue and with the other he ripped the covers off the bed, enough to make a little opening for Blue to be slipped into.

"Alright kid, this bed is normally used by a good buddy of mine, but if you won't tell him, then neither will I."

He slipped the comforter back over the kid's frame. He looked so…at peace in that bed. Nothing like the jumpy young man he met at the hospital.

"We'll talk in the morning."

* * *

Blue woke up to the loud blare of a smoke alarm. Where was he?

"Hello?" Blue threw his covers from his body, and rushed down the hallway. "Mr. Kord?" he called out, he might not know what has happening, but the one thing he was sure of was that a smoke alarm was never a good thing.

"Mr. Kord?"

In no time, Blue had walked through the halls, and into the kitchen, and there stood Ted Kord, a spatula in his hand and a burning pan in on his stove.

"Hey, kid. How'd you sleep?"

Blue didn't know how to answer. "I…uh…slept well. Thank you for letting me use your bed."

Ted only waved his gratitude away. "Come on, what kind of host would I be if I let my guest sleep on the couch?" He smiled and pointed to the table on the other side of the kitchen. "Sit." He turned back to his burnt pan, "I thought I'd make us some breakfast, maybe see if I can help you remember a few things. Oh, and call me Ted." He turned the burner off.

Blue closed his eyes…the smell of smoke. The crackle of a living blaze. Fire. Fire. All around him.

_It's burning…can you save them little hero?_

It was a trap.

"Kid?"

He awoke, still standing in the same spot, even now as Ted had sat a plate of (what looked like) pancakes on the table.

"You alright there kid?"

He blinked. "W-what?" Blue looked to his side, Ted had found at seat at the edge of the table, his fork inches from his mouth.

Ted gestured to the chair, and Blue took a seat.

"You're not getting sick right?" Ted tilted his head to the side, it almost looked like he was trying to resist the urge to reach over and feel Blue's forehead.

"I'm fine Mr. Ko…Ted. I'm fine." Blue smiled and stabbed his fork into a burnt pancake.

"So…Blue, right?" Ted tried not to laugh. "Where exactly did that name come from?"

Blue looked to the sky. Blue was the color of hope wasn't it? He felt like someone had told him that, someone tough and strong…and who was kind of a dick.

"I'm a pretty big fan of the Blue Beetle."

Ted's eyes lightened up at that news (from a non-egotistical stand point, of course). "Really?" Ted asked.

And just like clockwork, Blue's face lit up like the summer sky. "Absolutely. I've been a fan of his for years. He's the greatest hero ever." Blue's voice even echoed down the hall into the guest room, and Ted's face began to turn red.

"Cooler than Batman?" Ted asked.

"Totally…" Blue looked to his side, acting as if someone had overheard him, "Just don't tell Batman I said that, alright?"

This was great news, not only was The Beetle's fanbase growing (take that, Bats!) but this gave Ted a little more information to work on. Blue Beetle may have been known throughout the country, but he mostly operated in Chicago, even after joining the JLI, he was still mostly known in his own neck of the woods. So, perhaps Blue's family really did move to Chicago, and if that was the case finding them would be a breeze.

"Blue, can you tell me anything else? Maybe names of friends? What were you doing in the street anyway? You could have seriously gotten hurt."

"I can't really remember." Blue moved his fork against his plate, he hadn't touched his breakfast at all. "I just remember smoke…and fire all around me…and…"

_Goodbye Blue Beetle._

That voice. It was always that voice. What did it mean?

And out of nowhere the phone rang.

"Hold on kid, I gotta take that." Ted excused himself from the table and left Blue sitting in his seat, his head ablaze with ripped memories.

Whose voice was that? The Blue Beetle. Something to do with the Blue Beetle.

"Hey Kid?" Ted came back, "Look, that was an important business partner on the line," Ted shifted his eyes to the floor. Why was it that he could never lie to someone's face? It always made it impossible to play poker. "I've gotta go into the office. You sit tight, and I'll be back as soon as I can, alright?"

But before Blue could even nod his head, Ted was out the door.

"Be sure to finish your breakfast," he called out as he opened the door. "I could lift you over my head and not break a sweat."

Blue chuckled at the thought and then glanced down at the breakfast that was spread out in front of him. Burnt to a blackened crisp.

"…I think I'll finish it later."


	5. Chapter 5

It didn't take long for Ted to reach The Beetle Cave (after all, it was located underneath his company). Bats and some of the other J-Leaguers wanted to meet there to try and predict other anomalies; Bats even said it might have been a temporal disturbance.

But that would be impossible, wouldn't it? Unless of course you're Booster Gold…but even then, it'd be kind of impossible.

The Beetle Cave was…dusty. Legions and legions of dust had found their way onto the models and blue prints Ted had scattered all over the cave. He really needed to learn to keep his place clean. Did Superman have these kinds of problems? Dan Garrett's scarab laid within a glass case on the far side of the cave, not a day went by that Ted never thought about that old relic, or his old mentor. Some days he wondered if he had made Dan proud, or if he had somehow ruined the Blue Beetle name. What if he had?

Ted stared down at the Blue Scarab, was he really even worthy of his mantle…that piece of junk didn't seem to think so.

"Alright, let's get started," Ted said, maybe he could get a head start before the others-

"What kept you Beetle?" came the dark baritone he knew too well.

"Bats."

How the hell did he always do that?

"What have you found so far?" Batman asked as he made his way to the Beetle Computer.

"Uh…nothing so far." Ted followed Batman to his computer and sighed. Why did he always get the weird cases? "Uh…where's everyone else?"

Batman's eyes narrowed, "I sent them on patrol, keeping a look out for other problems around the city." A small smirk formed on Batman's face, "How's your guest doing?"

Shit.

"W-what are you talking about Bats?"

Batman growled, the one thing he hated was having his time wasted. "According to recent records Ted Kord recently admitted an amnesiac young man into his home. Subject is Latino, possibly around the age of 15 or 16, with water on his hands and a shirt that was slightly singed." If Ted didn't know any better he could have sworn he'd saw Batman raise an eyebrow, as if to say "Ha."

How the hell did Bats know all this? That hardly happened two days ago. Ted only shook his head…he _was_ Batman after all.

"Kid's fine. I left him at my place. As soon as we're done with this I'm gonna see if I can't help him get back home. His parents are probably going nuts."

Batman only slinked back into the shadows as Ted typed on his computer, trying to isolate some kind of power pattern. But Ted knew how Batman thought, right now he was thinking a million things at once. Who was this kid? Could he be trusted? What if all of this was some kind of a trap?

Jesus, how did Batman sleep at night? With the way that guy thought it must be hard to go on dates.

"Wait…" Ted leaned into his computer screen. "I think I found something."

Batman placed his hand on the back of Ted's chair, "What is it?"

"A very big problem."

* * *

Blue had finished his…breakfast, if you could call it that. He had cleared his plate, cleaned the table and filled the sink with soapy water. Perhaps a little cleaning might get his mind off of things. He picked up a dish rag and ran his fingers against a syrup stained plate.

In the other room the television blared.

"It is chaos here in downtown. Where this…thing has just come out of nowhere."

Blue placed down his dish rag and walked to the living room, on the TV screen was downtown Chicago, not too far from Ted's house, Blue remember passing some of those red houses on the way over here. Out of nowhere a large armored robot threw Chevy after Chevy across the sky.

"A large robot has begun attacking our fair city," the reporter said as she ducked in-between flying debris. "I've just got word that…wait…"

In no time a blinding gold streak flew past the camera.

"Could it be? Yes, it's Booster Gold. Come to fight off this menace."

Blue looked on from the living room chair, placed right in front of the set, he looked at the gold clad hero who shot at the armored enemy, making stupid phrases like "Have a taste of the Gold Standard!"

And he couldn't shake the feeling that he had seen Booster Gold somewhere before.

"And here comes the rest of the Justice League International, here to help." In came Green Lantern, Fire, Martian Manhunter, Ice and even Mr. Miracle.

"I'm getting word that all civilians must be evacuated…including news reporters."

But what was even stranger was the fact that he, Blue, couldn't shake the feeling that he needed to be out there. They needed his help.

"What the hell are you saying?"

That was crazy. Those guys were superheroes, he was just some kid who couldn't even walk straight without falling over. He would only get in the way. He would only put others at risk.

But he still couldn't shake that feeling, calling to him from deep within.

_They need our help._

"Our help?" he asked.

…_yes._

* * *

It didn't take long for Ted and Batman to reach the attack sight in The Bug, all they had to do was follow the sounds of screaming. Booster and the others were already on sight trying to diffuse the situation…the key word here is _trying_.

"Any plans Bats?" Ted asked as he scanned their new adversary with one of The Bugs newest upgrades. If they were going to do this, Ted wanted to know what they were up against. "It looks like I'm getting some kind of a temporal discharge from that thing."

"Just like earlier?" Batman asked, "So that thing is from another time period."

Ted let out a small chuckle, "Maybe it's a friend of Boosters."

"Open the hatch, we're going out there." Batman turned to the back of The Bug, his cape wavered as he walked.

Ted sighed, "I was hoping you'd say that."

Blue ran down the street. He had no idea what he was doing. He had no idea where he was going (well, he did, but that didn't make it any easier). People ran in the opposite direction, screaming, lounging, it felt like he was swimming against a tidal wave.

"Come on, just a little further."

And he was right…there it was. A robot that flung Booster Gold across the street as if he were a rag doll.

"Lantern," a gruff voice from above him shouted, "See if you can contain that thing."

That voice sounded so…distant. So cold, as if it were something he needed to remember…

"Hey kid!"

Blue looked onto see the Green Lantern…Guy…his name was Guy…screaming at him.

"What the hell are you doin'? Get outta here!" A green force field emanated from his ring. "Get out now!" he screamed again.

Blue took a deep breath, "B-but-"

Guy looked back to the robot, it threw Fire and Manhunter aside as if they were pieces of cardboard. Jesus, there was no stopping that thing. Not even his force field could stand up against it. This required some technical know-how…or at least a place that went beyond punching and screaming at it.

"Kid?" Out of nowhere, stood Blue Beetle, the hero of Chicago, "What are you doing here?" Blue Beetle grabbed Blue's shoulder…but quickly pulled back, as if he were afraid of revealing something.

"I-I wanted to see if…" what exactly had he wanted to do? What exactly was he thinking when he left Ted's place? That he'd be some hero? That he'd find a way to take that thing down? That robot who went through the Justice League like a pee-wee baseball team?

"Listen kid," Blue Beetle said, "You need to get out of here."

All he had done was put everyone in danger.

_Re-boot in progress…_

But why couldn't he shake the feeling that there was something…

_Programming beginning. Blue Beetle…_

…important he needed to do.

_Transformation_.

And then, everything went blue.

* * *

"What the hell?"

Ted Kord thought he had seen it all. He had a time-traveling best friend. A Martian who loved cookies, a guy who dressed like a bat and a whole lot of crap. He should be used to this kind of stuff by now.

And yet, Blue…that kid he had met yesterday…had just turned into some kind of robot. Blue, with black gloves that reached up to his elbows. Armored keens that looked like they could take on a rhino, and a blue insignia in the middle of his chest…the same one Ted sported on just about everything he owned.

Who was this kid?

In no time at all…Robo Beetle—(that's a good name for him right? Ted wasn't sure what to call him—sprang forth. In no time, his arms grew into long pincers that chopped at that automaton's legs, knocking it off balance and toppling it to the ground. Whatever that armor was, it had some pretty advance tech. Ted had never seen that kind of adaptability anywhere before.

Now that that thing could no longer stand Blue Armor Kid—that's a pretty good name for him, right?—turned his pincers into blasters, and like a hurricane, blew every part of that thing away.

There was nothing left but soot.

And it was over. Just like that.

Ted Kord looked on to see his young armored friend, slink onto the ground, his armor returning to wherever the hell it came from. Ted didn't even have to think, he was by Blue's side in seconds.

"Kid? Kid?" Ted gently shook Blue back and forth, but there was no reaction. He was out cold. Ted turned around to see Booster, Bats, Guy, and everyone else around him, their eyes glaring into his cheeks.

This was gonna get ugly.


	6. Chapter 6

It was tough convincing Bats to let Ted take his guest back to the Beetle cave. Of course, it was kind of hard to hear anything Bats was saying when Guy was screaming in his ear, Booster kept tapping him on the shoulder, Fire and Ice kept yelling to "Give them some answers" and Scott trying to keep his composure.

Sheesh, they act like they had never seen a teenager before…granted, they had probably never seen a teen like Blue, (and to be honest, neither had Ted) but that was no excuse to freak out.

"We need to get him back to the embassy," Batman began, "And then we'll decide what to do from there."

"And by 'Back to the Embassy', what you really mean is 'Locked up', aint that right, Bats?" Ted said as he scooped Blue into his arms. The guy hadn't moved since the robot fight.

"Beetle, did you see what that kid just did? Clearly he's not ordinary."

Ted only shook his head, "Yeah, I can see that. But he's still my responsibility, so I'm the one who's gonna take care of the situation." Ted stared down at his teenage friend, the way his chest rose and fell with each breathe was just like the night before. Blue might have been some kind of…Robo Beetle…but here, in Ted's arms, he was just a kid.

"You think having him wake up in a cell will be good for him?" Ted asked, "I'm taking him back, and I'll deal with him. I'll report whatever I find."

And that was the end of it…sort of. Without a second thought, Ted ran back to The Bug and took off in his ship. Not giving any one (Batman mostly) the chance to talk back.

It didn't take long for Ted to carry Blue into the Beetle cave, it didn't take long to find a good place to set him down, and blankets to keep him warm. Every time Ted picked this kid up, he seemed to look smaller and smaller.

Ted downloaded the recorded footage from the fight, he could at least begin to understand what that thing was, how it started, and once Blue was awake, he might be able to get a few more answers…key word being "might."

He tapped at the Beetle Cave's supercomputer (that he may, or may not have ripped off from Batman). He replayed the footage, there was Blue, and then in an instant his body was covered in Blue armor…it almost looked like-

"Dan Garrett?"

Ted pushed himself out from the computer desk and raced over to the far side of the lab, deep within the cave, so far that he sometimes forgot it even existed. It had been so long since he had thought of it, the scarab that Dan had left him. Could he had lost it? Could this kid had somehow found it?

But that was impossible. First off, despite the very similar resemblance, Dan's armor and Blue's armor were totally different. Not only that, but the scarab is magic. What Blue had on looked like some pretty advanced tech. Way more advanced than anything Ted could come up with.

But it never hurts to be sure.

Ted walked over to a large, dusty dome, one that he had not seen in years. If his theory was true then…

He wiped the dirt from the glass casing, and there sat the scarab. In the exact same position as Ted had last left it.

"Okay, that's one mystery solved. But the-"

"Then how do you explain our little friend?"

Ted nearly jumped out of his skin. He turned to see Batman, Gotham's one and only stalker of shadows, standing behind him. He could have asked any number of questions. "How did you get in here?" or "How did you know what I was thinking?" But the answer would always be the same. "I'm Batman."

It got a little annoying to deal with.

"Okay, so we've ruled out him having the scarab, but that doesn't explain how he got that bug suit. Or where he came from," Ted said as he made his way back to the computer, briefly checking on Blue as he passed by.

"He may not be in possession of Dan Garret's scarab, but who's to say there wasn't another one floating around…or perhaps it _is_ Dan's scarab."

"That's not possible." Ted typed against the computer, perhaps he could isolate the origin point of that robot, maybe he and Blue were connected somehow. "I mean, we have Dan's scarab right here. What are you tryin' ta say? Blue somehow cloned it? Or copied it?" Ted laughed.

Batman eyed the sleeping teenager. "Where did you say you found him again?"

"The streets." Ted shrugged his shoulder, "He just appeared out of nowhere."

Batman pulled a strand of Blue's hair and sealed it in a bag. "Nothing comes from nowhere Beetle."

Ted rolled his eyes, "Yeah I guess you-"

But when he turned around, his lab was empty. Nothing but a sleeping kid and the hum of his computer.

"I really hate it when he does that."


	7. Chapter 7

"Hey…kid? Are you awake? Can you hear me?" Ted gently shook Blue's shoulder, he was breathing, if those shallow sips of air could be called that. What if that suit was somehow affecting him? Maybe it zapped at his life force, or induced some kind of coma.

Hey…weirder things have happened.

"Come on kid…wake up. Please." This was getting scary. Maybe Ted should've let Bats take a quick look. After all, he's the only one of the JLI who's had any experience with kids. Robin seemed to be fine…kind of. Ted was just about to call up the JLI headquarters when-

"W-what?" Blue stirred, and shook his head. He propped himself up onto his elbow, and felt his eyes roll to the back of his head. "Where am I…is this the Beetle Cave?"

Ted let out a quick breath of air he had been holding in and smiled. "Glad to see you're alive kid."

"The Blue Beetle?" he said in amazement, honestly, Ted had never seen so much excitement on one person's face. "What happened?" Blue swung his feet from his cot and swept the toes of his sneakers against the cold floor.

Ted depended his voice, he couldn't let Blue know about his secret identity. "I was kind of hoping you could help me in that department." Ted had questions. Lots of them, starting with how this kid knew about the Beetle Cave. Hell, Booster didn't even know about 'the cave' yet, mainly because Booster would make fun of him for it. But he couldn't ask Blue right away, he was still disoriented from his Robocop impersonation. Seriously, where did kids today get that kind of shit?

"The last thing I remember was going out to help…the JLI, and then…everything went blue." He pulled his palm to his forehead and closed his eyes. He shook.

Ted raised his arms, trying to find some form of comfort to give him but-

"I can't believe this," his creased frown had turned into a large smile. "I'm talking with The Blue Beetle…well, I mean the second one. But still!" his voice reverbed through the cave like a ripple in a drawn bath.

"Y-you know about the Blue Beetle before me?"

Blue nodded. "Not much, but I do remember he used…" Blue closed his eyes, as if trying to grab a hold of something locked within his mind, but he just could snatch it fast enough. "He used-"

"Look kid, not that I want to rush you or anything, but would you mind if I gave you a quick once over? Maybe run some tests so I can understand a little bit of what's going on."

Blue only shook his head and smiled. That toothy grin of his was so bright it could have lit Gotham City for a week. It kind of made Ted's heart pound a little. Most of the time when he went out with the JLI no one even noticed him, it was only moderately better in Chicago, but even then most people treated him like an annoyance rather than a protector.

This appreciation…hell, this Hero-worship, was nice. Was this how Superman felt every day?

"Alright, I'm gonna need you to take your shirt off so I can get a clean scan."

Blue obeyed and removed his shirt.

"Speaking of which, can you give me a number I can call? Maybe your parents or something?" First rule of superheroing, when dealing with a minor make sure their parents (or super-rich substitute guardians who dress-up as bugs to save the world) know where they are. "You said you 'when out to help', where did you come from?"

Blue's thin lips curved upward…as if he knew something he wasn't telling. "Kord Manor."

Ted raised an eyebrow, "So…you're staying with Mr. Kord? Alright. Well, when we're done here I'll escort you back to his place personally. How does that sound?"

To Blue it sounded great…but also a little false, as if Blue Beetle's words were being played through a synthesizer, or read from a script. Blue knew Mr. Kord…uh, Ted, wouldn't be worried about him. Not with Blue Beetle by his side, in fact, Blue knew that once his favorite superhero brought him back to Kord Manor, Ted Kord would not be there.

But how Blue knew that…was another mystery entirely.

It didn't take long for Blue Beetle to gather the tools he needed for the inspection. Nothing major, just a flash light, some machines to measure heart rate, a stethoscope, and a lollipop for his patient (if he was a good boy).

"Take a deep breath kid."

Blue obeyed.

Nothing out of the ordinary. A heartbeat in his chest. Normal muscle tissue under his skin. Everything seemed fine. Ted looked onto Blue's back and froze.

"W-what is this?"

Latched onto Blue's back, like some kind of parasite, was the scarab. Dan's scarab. It's pinchers molded into Blue's skin like a leech.

Where the hell did that thing come from?

"But that's impossible," Ted whispered. "I just saw this two seconds ago. I-it's still in the glass case."

"Uh…Mr. Beetle?" Blue asked, "Are you alright?"

Ted slowly placed his hands on Blue's shoulders and moved his face so close that Blue could smell hotdogs on his breath. "Listen to me kid. I need you to tell me everything you can about that thing on your back." Ted was shaking. Was this…fear? " Right now."

Blue ran his fingers against his back, and his fingers bumped against cold steel.

"W-wait," Blue said, "I know this…thing. It…it's my…" he closed his eyes, unsure of the words forming in his mouth, "scarab?"

"Khaji Da" Blue said. His smile widened, as if he had just found the answer to a lost question "That's right. Khaji Da."

Khaji Da…those were the magic words Dan used to activate his powers…how did this kid know them? Bats was right, there was something going on here. Something that Blue didn't (or rather couldn't) fess up to.

The Beetle Computer began to blink…someone was on the line. Ted tapped a few keys on his keyboard, and up popped the dark knight himself.

"Beetle, the League and I did some testing on that hair sample I took. There's something you need to see. Get down here…and bring your kid. I believe I found something that can help him."

Blue Beetle looked towards Blue and smiled.

"Alright then, it's time for a field trip."


End file.
